treatment protocols for diabetic patients

What is the most important information I should know about insulin aspart?
• Know the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), whichinclude headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, sweating,tremor, and nausea treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Carry a piece of candy or glucose tablets with you to treatepisodes of low blood sugar treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever treatment protocols for diabetic patients. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Insulin aspart differs from regular human insulin by how quickly it beginsto work and the amount of time it continues to be effective treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Because insulinaspart begins to work soon after it is injected, the injection of insulin aspartshould immediately be followed by a meal treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Because of the short amount of timethat insulin aspart continues to be effective, a longer-acting insulin may alsobe required treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Do not change the brand of insulin aspart or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Some brands of insulin aspartand syringes are interchangeable, while others are not treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

What is insulin aspart?
• Insulin is a hormone naturally produced by the pancreas treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Insulin enablesthe body to use the sugar in food as a source of energy treatment protocols for diabetic patients. When the body doesnot produce enough insulin, or when the insulin produced by the body is noteffective enough, the condition is called diabetes mellitus treatment protocols for diabetic patients. This conditionallows sugar levels in the blood to become very high treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Diabetics must use man-madeinsulin or insulin that comes from pigs (which is very similar to human insulin)to lower these high blood sugar levels treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• There are three types of insulin, which differ in how soon they beginto work and how long their effects last treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Insulin aspart is one type of insulinthat begins to work very quickly and its effects that last for approximately3 to 5 hours treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Insulin aspart is usually used in combination with another longer-actinginsulin treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Insulin aspart may also be used for purposes other than those listedin this medication guide treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using insulin aspart?
• Do not use insulin aspart if you are allergic to insulin or if you havean intolerance of a certain insulin aspart product treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Before using insulin aspart, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liverdisease treatment protocols for diabetic patients. You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Insulin aspart is in the FDA pregnancy category C treatment protocols for diabetic patients. This means that itis not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Do not use this medicationwithout first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnantduring treatment treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• It is not known whether insulin aspart passes into breast milk treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Do notuse this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

How should I use insulin aspart?
• Use insulin aspart exactly as directed by your doctor treatment protocols for diabetic patients. If you do notunderstand these instructions, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to explainthem to you treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Insulin aspart differs from regular human insulin by how quickly it beginsto work and the amount of time it continues to be effective treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Because insulinaspart begins to work soon after it is injected, the injection of insulin aspartshould immediately be followed by a meal treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Because of the short amount of timethat insulin aspart continues to be effective, a longer-acting insulin may alsobe required treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Insulin aspart is usually used immediately before a meal (a meal shouldbe started within 5 to 10 minutes after injecting the medication) treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Follow yourdoctor's instructions treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Rotate injection sites as directed by your doctor treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Usually, you shouldnot inject within 1 inch of the same site within 1 month treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Never reuse a needle or syringe treatment protocols for diabetic patients. The syringes used must not contain anyother medicinal product or residue treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Dispose of all needles and syringes in anappropriate, puncture-resistant disposal container treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Do not change the insulin strength (e.g., U-100) or insulin type (e.g.,aspart) unless your doctor recommends a change for you treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Do not change the brand of insulin aspart or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Some brands of insulin andsyringes are interchangeable, while others are not treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever treatment protocols for diabetic patients. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Wear some type of medical identification bracelet, necklace, or otheralert tag to inform others that you have diabetes and that you require insulinin the case of an emergency treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• To adequately control diabetes, proper foot care, eye care, dental care,and overall proper health care are necessary treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Visit your doctor, dentist, eyedoctor, and other heath care practitioners as recommended by your doctor treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Do not use any insulin that is discolored, looks thick, has particlesin it, or looks different from your previous bottles or cartridges of insulinaspart treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Store unopened bottles and cartridges of insulin aspart in the refrigeratorbetween 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2 and 8 degrees Celsius) treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Do not storeinsulin aspart in the freezer and do not allow it to freeze treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Do not use insulinaspart if it has been frozen treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Throw away any expired insulin aspart treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Vials or cartridges of insulin aspart in use can be kept unrefrigeratedat room temperature, below 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), for upto 28 days but should not be exposed to excessive heat or sunlight treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

What happens if I miss a dose?
• Follow your doctor's directions if you miss a dose of insulin treatment protocols for diabetic patients. To preventmissed doses, be sure to always have enough insulin on hand, especially if youare going on vacation treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Symptoms of an insulin overdose reflect very low blood sugar levels andinclude headache, irregular heartbeat, increased heart rate or pulse, sweating,tremor, nausea, increased hunger, and anxiety treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

What should I avoid while using insulin aspart?
• Do not use alcohol without first talking to your doctor treatment protocols for diabetic patients. It lowers bloodsugar, and you may experience dangerously low blood sugar levels treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

What are the possible side effects of insulin aspart?
• Rarely, people have allergic reactions to insulin treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Seek emergency medicalattention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closingof your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives) treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• The side effects of insulin therapy result mostly from blood sugar levelsthat are either too high or too low treatment protocols for diabetic patients. You should be familiar with the symptomsof both high and low blood sugar levels and know how to treat both conditions treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Also, be sure your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Low blood sugar may occur when too much insulin is used; when meals aremissed or delayed; if you exercise more than usual; during illness, especiallywith vomiting or diarrhea; if you take other medications; after drinking alcohol;and in other situations treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, has the following symptoms: shaking,headache, cold sweats, pale, cool skin, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Keep sugary candy; fruit juice; or glucose tablets on hand to treat episodesof low blood sugar treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Increased blood sugar may occur if not enough insulin is used, if youeat significantly more food then usual, if you exercise less than usual, ifyou take other medications, if you have a fever or other illness, and in othersituations treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, has the following symptoms: increasedthirst, increased hunger, and increased urination treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Monitor your blood sugar levels and ask your doctor how to adjust yourinsulin doses if your blood sugar levels are too high treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Side effects may also occur at the site of injection treatment protocols for diabetic patients. If the area becomesthickened, hard, or pitted, talk to your doctor before injecting at that siteagain treatment protocols for diabetic patients.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

What other drugs will affect insulin aspart?
• Many drugs can interact with insulin or affect blood sugar levels treatment protocols for diabetic patients. Donot take any other medicines, including prescription products or over-the-countermedicines or supplements, without first talking to your doctor or pharmacistduring treatment with insulin treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about insulin aspart writtenfor health professionals that you may read treatment protocols for diabetic patients.

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